Objectives
Students will understand the causes of the devastation in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in the Gulf Coast States, and have a perception of the ways that children in the region are coping with the many changes that this natural disaster has brought to everyone.
Using the map of the United States, locate Louisiana, and point out its proximity to the Gulf of Mexico. Locate New Orleans. Ask students to recall what event happened in the Gulf Coast region in September of 2005. Solicit the students' responses about what they have seen and heard via the news media about the devastation in the area. Write the word KATRINA on the board and discuss that this was the hurricane that caused such terrible destruction in Louisiana. Ask students to imagine what it must be like to live through such a disaster, and its aftermath.
Write the word HURRICANE on the board and begin a discussion about what a hurricane is. Ask students to tell why it is important to learn about hurricanes and how to be prepared if a hurricane should strike your area. Talk briefly about why lowland areas are more in jeopardy for destruction during a hurricane than other regions. Tell the class that they will be viewing a Nick News with Linda Ellerbee episode entitled "Children of the Storm." The students will be watching the episode to see what it is like for the youngsters in New Orleans to cope with the changes in their lives after such a disastrous storm. Show the Program in Its Entirety, Then Discuss the Following:
Share the following descriptions from the youngsters in the episode:
"Everything you remember isn't there anymore."
"To see all you know in a million pieces is really scary."
"Things will never be the same, but we will need to get used to it."
"Don't be sad, or sad for me."
Discuss what the youngsters related about their homes and their possessions, and discuss what it must be like to lose everything. Cite the example of the young man who lost his athletic trophies and can't replace them. Ask students to share their feelings on starting over from scratch, and how losing all of your possessions could impact your feelings about what is important.
One youngster related how his preacher had told him that we should not "take life for granted, because something might happen." What message can we learn from this?
Erica talked about living in a U. S. government-issued trailer in the front yard of her ruined home. What did she say about what she saw when she returned after Katrina? (There was no sign of life.) What did she say about having a trailer to live in? (She's grateful for it, but it is very small and there is not much privacy.) What has she learned by living in a trailer? (Her family is now closer, and she has a new appreciation for the space she will have in her newly rebuilt home.)
What has happened to the public school system in New Orleans as a result of this hurricane? Are all the public schools in this area operating a year after the storm? (No.) What changes have the kids had to make in order to attend school? (They have had to attend different schools.) What did Ebenizia from Joseph A. Craig Elementary School say was the hardest thing for her about moving schools? (The hardest thing was making new friends each time.) Why is it important after all of the trials that these youngsters have been through to feel comfortable at school?
People from all over the United States have been helping to restore New Orleans and the rest of the Gulf Coast, which has suffered so much at the mercy of Katrina. What does the Ya-Ya group (Young Aspirations, Young Artists) group seek to do? (It seeks to allow kids to write about their experiences and promote emotional healing.) Why is the work of this group with the New Orleans youngsters so important? What messages do the students want to share with the world through their poems entitled "Oh, to Be in New Orleans"? What type of work has been done for New Orleans by student volunteers through the National Relief Network? Why is this work so important? (It helps to clear the debris and make it easier for rebuilding.) What reason has the Katrina Krewe given as to why they are volunteering to clean up in their own community? (They just can't wait for others to do it, and they are all working together to do their part to get New Orleans back to normal faster. Also, this is a community-wide effort, which gives the kids a sense of accomplishment.)
What did Chris Rose from the Times Picayune say about how New Orleans is doing now? (It is a time to rebuild, and hopefully do it right in the right way to set things on a positive path for the future.)
What does Linda Ellerbee mean when she says that kids have learned what they are "made of" in the year since Katrina? What words can you use to describe some of the kids we have seen in this episode? What reasons were given by the kids as to why they still want to live in New Orleans? (It is home, there is a culture, heritage, history and a fine atmosphere.)
What do you think the people of New Orleans have learned from Hurricane Katrina that will help them in the future if other such disasters strike their region? How do you think the kids of New Orleans will remember this devastating time in years to come? Do you have a better understanding of what these kids have been through as a result of watching this Nick News episode? How has it changed the way you think of the things you have in your life and what is important to you? Activity
Using the information gathered from the Nick News with Linda Ellerbee "Children of the Storm" episode, each student will create a three-part project entitled "Hurricane Katrina and New Orleans." This project will contain the following elements: 1. A three-paragraph report on what a hurricane is, and why Hurricane Katrina was so devastating to New Orleans. 2. A three-paragraph essay entitled "What Lessons I Have Learned from the Kids in New Orleans." 3. A short poem using the title "Oh, to Be in New Orleans," relaying the message that should be shared with the world about the kids who continue to survive this storm's wrath. This three-part project will be bound in a folder and shared with the class. AssessmentPoints, Outcome and Measure:
4-5: The student shows a great deal of interest in the subject and participates actively in the class discussions about the New Orleans youngsters who have survived Hurricane Katrina. The student creates a three-part project as described in the activity above. This project has all three parts completed, and the student shares it with the class.
2-3: The student shows a limited amount of interest in the subject and participates marginally in the class discussions about the New Orleans youngsters who have survived Hurricane Katrina. The student creates a project as described in the activity above, but offers less than the three required parts. The student does not present this project in class.
0-1: The student shows little or no interest in the subject and participates reluctantly in the discussions on the New Orleans youngsters who have survived Hurricane Katrina. The student makes a minimal attempt or shows no effort at all to create the three-part project based on the activity described above. There is no project to be shared in class. Additional Activities1. Invite a local meteorologist or representative from the Red Cross to discuss hurricanes and hurricane preparedness with the class. 2. Create a collage of magazine pictures of scenes from New Orleans and other states in the Gulf Coast region following Hurricane Katrina. A possible title for this collage could be "There's no place like home."
Written by Sandy Riddell
Greenwood Elementary School
Glen Allen, Virginia
